Amid the political turmoil that is currently plaguing Venezuela, a somewhat “shadowy” figure stands out in power: Attorney General Tarek William Saab Halabi.
A fervent Chavista and active member of far-left movements, Saab was born in the city of El Tigre, located in the Venezuelan state of Anzoátegui, in 1962. The prosecutor is the result of a family of Lebanese immigrants and was involved with revolutionary ideals from an early age. .
Saab joined extremist left-wing movements such as PRV-Ruptura, which was led by guerrilla Douglas Bravo.
With a law degree from the Santa Maria de Caracas University and a postgraduate degree in criminal law, Saab began his rise in public life after meeting Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chávez in the 1990s. At that moment, he and a group of jurists managed to make Venezuelan President Rafael Caldera (1994-1999) granted Chávez a pardon for the failed 1992 coup attempt.
Chávez called Saab the “poet of the revolution”, due to his passion for poetry and the various poems published by him since he was 15 years old.
Since entering public life, the prosecutor has been a deputy, president of committees in the Venezuelan Parliament and governor of his home state, Anzoátegui, for eight years, from 2004 to 2012. The population accuses his government in Anzoátegui of having been extremely corrupt.
His path to the position of Attorney General of Venezuela is marked by his unshakable loyalty to the Caracas regime. Before assuming the role of prosecutor, Saab was already known for his work as the People's Defender, a body equivalent to a public defender's office, where he fervently defended Chavismo's policies.
His appointment to the position of attorney general occurred in 2017, when the then National Constituent Assembly, with a Chavista majority, removed attorney Luisa Ortega Díaz, who had become a critic of the repressive actions of the Nicolás Maduro regime.
Ortega Díaz went so far as to classify the Constituent Assembly, which at that time replaced the opposition majority parliament, as illegal and was accused by Chavismo of having committed “serious failures in the exercise of its functions”.
As prosecutor, Saab has in recent months been the architect of a brutal repression campaign against the Venezuelan opposition. Because of his history of loyalty to Chavismo, he is often seen as Maduro's right-hand man in the fight to silence any dissenting voice in the South American country.
Under Saab's watch, the Venezuelan attorney general's office has issued a series of indictments and arrest orders against prominent opposition figures, often on questionable allegations of conspiracy and treason. Today, his name is synonymous with fear among those who dare to challenge the status quo of the South American country.
The prosecutor is also known for his ability to maneuver within the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), where he has allies willing to validate his actions.
Even with its authoritarian reputation, Saab maintains a public image as a “human rights defender”, frequently making statements about the importance of social justice and equality. However, his actions tell a different story, revealing a man willing to use any means necessary to protect the regime he serves.
The current persecution led by Saab against opponents is not limited to political leaders alone. Journalists, activists and any citizen who speaks out against the government are also on their radar, ready to be declared “traitors to the country” and investigated for somewhat questionable crimes.
Human rights activist Rocío San Miguel is among his targets. Right now, according to her private defense team, San Miguel is facing legal proceedings, after being arrested in February, without even having the right to her personal lawyers.
In addition to San Miguel, Saab ordered the arrest of around 12 members of María Corina Machado's party, Vente Venezuela, and issued several other arrest warrants against opponents who had to take refuge in the Argentine embassy in Caracas to try to protect themselves.
All of these arrests were made as part of Saab's investigation into the alleged attempted conspiracy to overthrow the Maduro regime.
Classified by Chavista as “White Bracelet”, the conspiracy, according to Saab, was planned in Colombia, under the coordination of the USA, and aimed to assassinate Maduro and take power in Venezuela through the occupation of military barracks.
So far, Saab has not presented any concrete proof of this operation. The only existing material on the subject is a video where a former military opponent of Maduro, Anyelo Herédia, “confirms”, clearly under pressure, that he had planned to kill the dictator and cited names from the opposition as “supporters” of the action.
Because of its controversial positions, Saab has been sanctioned by several countries, including the United States, Canada and European Union member states, on charges of “undermining democracy in Venezuela”. Such sanctions were a response from the international community to the deterioration of democracy and human rights in the South American country.
Other sanctions and condemnations have been directed against both him and other members of Maduro's dictatorship, in an attempt to pressure for change. However, Saab remains firm in his position, defying criticism and reinforcing his loyalty to the current regime in his country.
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